In a new weekly update for pv magazine, Solcast, a DNV company, reports that January in South America featured dramatic weather contrasts with persistent floods and cloud cover in northern regions sharply reducing solar irradiance, while extreme heat, drought and wildfires in the south boosted sunlight yet also generated aerosol smoke that complicated irradiance outcomes. Severe storms, tornadoes and industrial fires further punctuated the month’s highly variable irradiance patterns across the continent.

In a new weekly update for pv magazine, OPIS, a Dow Jones company, provides a quick look at the main price trends in the global PV industry.

This week Women in Solar+ Europe gives voice to Charmaine Coutinho, Director – EMEA Energy Transition at UK-based FTI Consulting. She says the energy transition requires inclusive systems that actively involve underrepresented groups, ensuring diversity and equity at all levels. Drawing on decades in the sector, she emphasizes intentional mentorship, sponsorship, and transparent leadership as essential for meaningful change and career impact.

Whatever decision the U.S. Department of Commerce makes on polysilicon imports, some market segments are in for a bumpy ride in 2026 as the expiration of tax credits and other policy levers change the trading environment faced by residential installers and others. Jesse Pichel and Lev Seleznov of Roth Capital assess what lies ahead for U.S. solar.

A systems approach is essential for smart energy standardization, ensuring interoperability, avoiding overlaps, and addressing complex interactions across the grid, appliances, and infrastructures. The IEC System Committee for Smart Energy (SyC SE) applies system-level thinking, using tools like reference architectures and roadmaps to coordinate standards, support innovation, and tackle emerging areas such as EV integration, digital twins, and zero-emission technologies.

French grid operator RTE says almost 3 TWh of renewable energy was curtailed in 2025, driven by higher solar output and more frequent negative-price market periods.

Osaki Electric says it has signed an agreement to formalize joint development of its AI-based energy management system (EMS), integrating solar generation and lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery storage. It aims to sign a final contract by December 2026.

RENA Technologies says it will supply advanced wet chemical processing systems for Celloraa Energy’s 1.2 GW tunnel-oxidized passivated contact (TOPCon) solar cell line in Gujarat, India, with water consumption cut by 50%, H₂O₂-free processes, and start of cell production targeted for the end of fiscal 2026–27.

Solar battery installers have been warned to “do it once and do it well” as the number of batteries installed across Australia under the federal government’s Cheaper Home Batteries Program surges past the 250,000 milestone, delivering a combined 6.3 GWh of capacity.

EnergySage says the looming expiration of the federal residential solar tax credit drove a 205% surge in homeowner engagement in the second half of 2025, with median pricing of $2.49/W, an average system size of 11.8 kW, and a decline in storage attachment rates as customers rushed to install systems before the end of the year.

India installed around 37.8 GW of solar capacity in 2025, according to JKM Research. This comprised about 28.6 GW of new utility-scale solar, a 54.6% increase from 2024, and 7.9 GW of rooftop solar, up 72% year on year. Off-grid additions stood at 1.35 GW, compared to 1.48 GW in 2024.

HydrogenPro says its 220 MW ACES Delta project in Utah is nearing completion, with all electrolyzers operating at full load, while the hub will store hydrogen in salt caverns with energy capacity two to three times that of all US grid-connected batteries combined.

Greece’s distribution grid operator will begin accepting applications for agrivoltaic systems on March 4, marking the first step in implementing a new law targeting 130 MW of capacity nationwide.

A survey of more than 800 Spanish C&I PV installations following the 2019–2022 self-consumption boom found significant administrative, technical and monitoring deficiencies in all audited systems, with 13.2% of businesses reporting savings far below expectations.

Department of Energy (DOE) order sets out new rules for mandatory energy storage, including a minimum capacity of at least 20% of the generating plant’s installed capacity. DOE also calls for energy storage systems (ESS) installations to have grid supporting capabilities, such as grid-forming inverters to help stabilize voltage and frequency.

Premier Energies Ltd today unveiled India’s first zero-busbar (0BB) TOPCon solar cell at Intersolar India. The 0BB design marks a structural shift from traditional 10BB and 16BB architectures, replacing thick silver busbars with a dense matrix of ultra-fine silver lines to collect current.

The APX HV Battery 2.0 supports 5–30 kWh capacities and up to 15 kW of output. The IP66-rated system features a stacked, cable-free design.

The Bluetti Elite 300, packing more power than ever into a small form, will be available with early-bird discounts from March 8.

China brings online 300 MW/1,200 MWh grid-forming energy storage facility in Inner Mongolia, integrating lithium-ion and vanadium flow battery technologies.

The cell was fabricated using a new interfacial phase equilibrium strategy that suppressed uncontrollable metal ion migration. The device achieved an exceptionally high open-circuit voltage of over 600 mV at a bandgap of 1.10 eV.

The polymer solar cell is able to retain 97% of its performance after 2,000 hours in air. By blending small-molecule acceptors into polymeric matrices, the research team improved molecular packing, enhancing both stability and charge transport for “ultra-stable” flexible devices.

Kardinia Energy has secured AUD 2.15 million from the Australian government’s Industry Growth Program to scale up its flexible, low-cost printed solar technology from university proof-of-concept to pilot manufacturing.

Swedish researchers developed two novel single-axis solar tracking strategies that dynamically adjust panel tilt based on crop light requirements, balancing photosynthesis and energy production. One strategy prioritizes daily light integral targets before shifting to energy capture, while the other uses the light-response curve to optimize photosynthesis, offering improved dual-use efficiency compared with conventional tracking methods.

Shanghai-listed polysilicon producer Tongwei says it intends to acquire 100% of Qinghai Lihao through a share-and-cash transaction, as consolidation in China’s polysilicon sector increasingly shifts toward mergers and acquisitions.

The Chinese manufacturer claims the new efficiency result sets a world record for industrial-scale TOPCon solar cells on M10-size wafers. The achievement was verified by an undisclosed independent third-party organization in China.

The UK-based manufacturer has expanded its Ecomod 290HT range with a new 65 kW monobloc air-source heat pump using R290 refrigerant, offering flow temperatures up to 70 C, a COP of 4.6, and cascade capability of up to 7 units.

The new SALT 110 battery storage system from the Vienna-based company has a usable capacity of up to 110 kWh. The storage system is reportedly capable of 6,000 charge cycles at a depth of discharge of 95%.

Germany’s large-scale battery industry is urging regulators and grid operators to speed up utility-scale connection approvals as applications outpace available grid capacity.

An alliance of 11 industry, environmental and union groups has urged the Australian federal government to require new data centers throughout the country to secure 100% additional renewable energy and fund workforce training as a condition of approval.

The Irish heating specialist has launched a high-temperature heat pump delivering up to 110 C hot water and heating capacities of 100 kW to 370 kW for industrial and district heating applications. The system achieves a coefficient of temperature of up to 4.63.